Bruce Allen Townsend (74) a long time Madera Educator passed from this life on Monday, March 9, 2015 at St. Agnes Medical Center following a 12 year heroic battle with leukemia. Bruce, 74, was born in Buffalo, New York and later moved to Southern California with his family where he graduated from Glendale High School.

Bruce attended the University of California at Berkeley where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History and teaching credential. Moving to Madera Bruce began his career with the Madera Unified School District, teaching at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Furman High School also Home Schooling for children with medical conditions who were unable to attend regular school. Retiring in 2003, following 30 years with the District.

In the Madera Community he was a member of the Civil Service Commission 1984 to 2002 and the Madera County Health Department Mental Health Board. A veracious reader, Bruce spent his leisure time at Barnes & Noble where he was a favorite of the employees. Outgrowing space for his growing personal library he became a major book donor for the Madera County Library, so many that they recognized his generosity by naming him a Library Patron.

Bruce was preceded in death by his father Francis. He will be greatly missed by his family including Emily, his wife of 11 years, his mother Sylvia Townsend of Tucson, AZ, his children Jeff Townsend and his wife Noreen of Chandler, AZ, David Townsend and his wife Kristen of Granite Bay, CA, and Karen Fluter and her husband Doug of Clovis, CA. He is the brother of Miles Townsend and his wife Ingrid of Charlottesville, VA. He is the grandfather of Amy Cron, Gracie Blasl, Hannah Townsend, Noah Townsend, Wyatt Townsend and the great-grandfather of Dani Cron, Daniel Cron and Robbie Cron.

A Celebration of Bruce’s Life will be held at 4 PM on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at Jay Chapel. As requested, there will be no visiting hours. In Lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Bruce’s memory to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society